I’m all set up to watch President Bush’s final State of the Union address – and have located an advance version of the speech. An important excerpt for our work:
“America is leading the fight against global poverty, with strong education initiatives and humanitarian assistance. We have also changed the way we deliver aid by launching the Millennium Challenge Account. This program strengthens democracy, transparency, and the rule of law in developing nations, and I ask you to fully fund this important initiative.
America is leading the fight against global hunger. Today, more than half the world’s food aid comes from the United States. And tonight, I ask the Congress to support an innovative proposal to provide food assistance by purchasing crops directly from farmers in the developing world, so we can build up local agriculture and help break the cycle of famine.
America is leading the fight against disease. With your help, we are working to cut by half the number of malaria-related deaths in 15 African nations. And our Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is treating 1.4 million people. We can bring healing and hope to many more. So I ask you to maintain the principles that have changed behavior and made this program a success. And I call on you to double our initial commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS by approving an additional $30 billion over the next 5 years.”
The address should be starting at 9 p.m. EST.
-Virginia Simmons
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UPDATE: Ok. I watched. The above text was verbatim – and ended in applause.
ONE members spent a warm Florida evening drumming up awareness and visibility outside the MSNBC GOP debate in Boca Raton, FL. We took advantage of the live MSNBC broadcast before the debate to hold up our ONE signs in the backdrop while Chris Matthews was on the air. Not to let our work stop with the national TV exposure, we soon spotted Joe Scarbourough of MSNBC who took the time to have his picture taken with us. We ran into Joe later at a debate watch party and were able to chat a bit more.
After our successful MSNBC encounters, we stepped it up a notch and decided to band “The People’s Governor” himself, Charlie Crist. Our youngest member, 18-year old David, was up to the challenge and positioned himself perfectly next to Governor Crist as he came off stage. As soon as Crist finished taking questions from the media, David seized the opportunity to give Crist the white band on behalf of the ONE Campaign. Way to go David!! Even the ONE staffers were impressed. It was a great night in the Sunshine State.
ONE member Dan Robinson made it to the top of Mt. Aconcagua today where he planted a ONE flag! (We hope to get a photo of that soon.) Just 6 summits left to go…
Today at 10:45 EST we finally reached the summit! Our original plan was to attempt the summit yesterday but a terrible storm kept us pinned down at 19,200 feet. The storm forced us to stay in our tents the entire day and we also had to endure temperatures of 50 below zero. The winds were absolutely brutal and made the most routine tasks incredibly difficult to do.
All the time and effort that went into this climb was justified when we got to the top of the mountain. Being able to experience the view from the highest point in South America was an emotional time for the entire group. It was a serene moment for each individual, and I was reminded of the reason for my climb to the top.
The ONE flag was proudly displayed at the top of Aconcagua and I know this is only the beginning of my journey to raise awareness. I want to thank everyone who has kept me in their thoughts and prayers and for all the support I have received over the past few weeks. Please continue to spread the message and support this important cause!
John McCain takes the time to talk about ONE at a rally again, this time while on a campaign stop at the Villages in Lady Lake, FL, yesterday.
In this C-Span clip, the senator passes the mic to our own (unshaven) Steve Wilson! Check out out the clip and some excerpts I transcribed below.
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Senator McCain: “Could I mention to you in passing, one of the things I want to do is inspire Americans to serve causes greater than their self interests. Now there are some young people over there, if you raise your hands, from ONE. I see you, raise you hands. See these young people there?
There’s an organization called “ONE,”…there are 2 million volunteers in this country of young people who are trying to cure some of the problems that face this nation including, and the world, in under-developed countries, malaria, HIV/AIDS. They volunteer their services, they go to Africa and they try to help, and sir I’ll give you 30 seconds to describe to the people, if you bring the microphone over there, as to what these over 2 million young Americans are doing to serve humanity, mankind and the United States of America. Please go ahead sir.”
[Steve talks here!]
Senator McCain: “Thank you. My friends I’d just like to say again, the greatness of America, the greatness of America I think is epitomized by the people in your organization and they’re not just young people, they’re people from all over our society. My friends, I want to serve America, but I believe that one of the greatest things that I want to accomplish is for people to serve a cause greater than their self-interest. And could I say that I think that you and others epitomize that. I believe it’s the noblest cause you can have.”
At 9 p.m. EST tonight, President Bush will address the nation with his final State of the Union speech. We’ve caught word that Tatu Msangi, a 35-year-old, HIV-positive Tanzanian woman, and her 2-year-old daughter, Faith, will be among the president’s guests.
“Tatu Msangi is a 35-year-old single mother from Tanzania. When Tatu became pregnant, she went to the antenatal clinic at KCMC and discovered she was HIV-positive. Tatu enrolled in a Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program and delivered a healthy daughter, named Faith. As part of her treatment, Faith received a dose of nevirapine after she was born. She is now over two years old, and she is HIV-free.
As part of her work at KCMC, Tatu counsels HIV-positive women and encourages them to participate in the PMTCT program. KCMC is supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s (PEPFAR) through the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Tatu and her daughter Faith are examples of the hope and compassion that is transforming lives with support from PEPFAR. PEPFAR, which was announced by President Bush in his 2003 State of the Union Address, is the largest commitment ever by any nation for an international health initiative dedicated to a single disease.”
As we watch tonight, we hope to hear more on PEPFAR, as well as on The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and The Millennium Challenge Corporation.
When I left the ONE Campaign last fall, I had ONE bands everywhere that you could imagine: piles in every bag that I own, strewn about my car, and at my apartment. As I packed up for Nigeria, I piled all of those ONE bands and brought them with me.
This month, the Gwaimen Center (where I work) has had football and basketball matches to bring the young people of Kwoi together and we’ve used the opportunity to educate on those present on AIDS prevention. What better tool to use than the ONE bands?
While I enjoy watching football, seeing people from all around the area come together and talk about AIDS and how people can protect themselves was powerful. I told those gathered about ONE and the millions of people in the US who spend their free time and their energy fighting poverty and AIDS. This is a global effort and, in partnership, we’re going to end extreme poverty and global disease.
My friend who organized the match spoke about how these teenagers are examples to the children that were gathered to watch the match. I found his words inspiring. The next generation, whether we’re teenagers or elderly, is watching and learning from our example. We have an opportunity to change the course of history.
-Anne Batchelder
Anne is a ONE member, as well as the former ONE Deputy Field Director, and co-founder of the Gwaimen Center in Kwoi, Nigeria
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2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
